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problems w/ forehand low service

hi everyone,
im a high school singles player, and i havent been playing very long (just 1.5 years). traditionally i serve long, and just serve short every once in awhile to throw my opponents off (esp when they start standing 3 steps backwards when receiving).

First, think about whether you want your low serve to be deceptive. It's much less important in singles than in doubles. Many top players prepare for the forehand low serve in a way that precludes their hitting a high serve.

So why doesn't the opponent rush the net? Well, the server can always hit a flick serve from a low serve action.

Sometimes, however, top players will make a deceptive low serve, by starting with a high serve action. The swing is not the same, but you can start with the same swing. Part way through your high serve action, bend your elbow and bring it close to the side of your body. You will hit the shuttle from higher up -- not down by your knees. You may find it necessary to adjust the timing of your shuttle drop.

It's important to realise that you do not complete the high serve swing. The racket does not come down near your knees, although the initial motion suggests that it will. If you try to make it more deceptive, by bringing the racket down by your knees, then the shuttle's will go upwards too much, instead of low and flat.

The most important thing is to make an accurate, safe serve. This deceptive serve is more difficult to play accurately, so often it will go in the net. For this reason, even at the top level, players often prefer a normal low serve (remember, they always have the flick).

hi everyone,
im a high school singles player, and i havent been playing very long (just 1.5 years). traditionally i serve long, and just serve short every once in awhile to throw my opponents off (esp when they start standing 3 steps backwards when receiving)...

is there any way to make it so that the form is the same up until the point where the racket contacts the bird? any videos/pics would be greatly appreciated!

Hey there ricefield! Do you play for SaratogaHS? You make it to CCS?

I noticed just yesterday that Lee Jae Bok has got a 5 1/2 minute video clip on the Low Forehand service on his IBBS.tv web site. I've not watch very much of this particular clip, but it would probably be very useful to check out for some hints on performing this stroke effectively.

Note that all the vid clips on the site are free until June 7th. You need to register (also free) to watch most of the clips. Some ppl have experienced a few problems registering or accessing the videos. Most of those problems have been resolved -- check out the recent thread on this same forum that deals with the free videos and problems that ppl have encountered.
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Gollum makes an xcellent point. Serve deception is much less important in singles than in doubles. While I almost always use a deceptive action for my BH serve in doubs, I only occasionally use deception for my FH singles service action.

Elite players tend to hit more short singles serves than the rest of us -- the high deep serve is still the standard serve for most non-pro players.

In singles, I will only use a deception at certain times in the game -- it depends on the situation and where my opponent is standing in their receiving sourt. If they adopt a deep position for receiving, then I'm apt to hit a higher percentage of short serve. If their receiving postion is forward, almost like a doubles receiving postion, then I'm tempted to hit some flick serves. If they start at a position somewhere in the middle of the 1 extremes, then a high % of my serves will be high & deep.

These general guidelines will be adapted to the skills of the receiver. If they are particularly good or bad at receiving one type of serve, I'll adjust to that strength or weekness.

Be sure to check out the IBBS vid that I mentioned in my prev post above.

mm. i watched that clip right after posting this thread, actually. i found it pretty helpful, but unfortunately i havent had a time to really practice.

thanks for all the tips!

systemic: yes, i play for shs but i did not make it to ccs.. =[
actually i was eliminated in the second round of the district tournament.. not nearly good enough for ccs...

u know whats weird.. a lot of these people are listed to be in the Bay Area and probably play at the gyms i play at.. (mostly bintang and sometimes ggbc). i keep wondering i actually bump into them randomly w/o knowing their internet handles.. >.>

...
systemic: yes, i play for shs but i did not make it to ccs.. =[
actually i was eliminated in the second round of the district tournament.. not nearly good enough for ccs...

Well then perhaps next year -- unless you are graduating this year.

Originally Posted by ricefield

...
u know whats weird.. a lot of these people are listed to be in the Bay Area and probably play at the gyms i play at.. (mostly bintang and sometimes ggbc). i keep wondering i actually bump into them randomly w/o knowing their internet handles.. >.>

Yeah, I've undoubtedly seen kwun at 1 or more of the gyms but have no idea who he is. I remember saying something to Jim Todt (Smash City founder) a while back about the BC forum and he told me kwun had just left.

I also often play at BinTang (in the evenings). I'm one of the white guys (well, maybe off-white) there. Altho' I'm in my mid-50s, ppl assume that I'm in my 30s or 40s. Oh yeah, I'm a lefty.

Does SHS have open gyms any more? It's been more more than a year since I've played over there.
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I finally got around to watching the 2nd half of the IBBS video that I recommended above. In his vid, Lee pretty much says the same thing that Gollum & I had suggested -- you should only use a serve deception for singles a few times in a game (or a match). The deception becomes much less effective if you use it too often in singles.

well iono if this is much help or not but when i serve a short serve i usually just snap my wrist a bit, but when i do a far shot i dont i just go full arm so yeah iono if ppl can read it i have not heard anything yet.